A Single Flower
by KotOR-Luvr
Summary: After a failed attempt on his own life, Oliver finally decides to leave his old life behind, and begin anew in Stardew Valley, where his grandfather's farm lied dormant for decades. With courage, strength, confidence, his new friends, and a single flower to signify the start of this adventure, he brings the farm back to life, and feels his dimmed spirit become bright once more.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey look, it me, making another fanfic when I have two fucking dozen already on the go! I have been playing Stardew Valley a lot and it has helped me a bit with my mental health whenever it takes a dip. It's such a relaxing and calming game, I adore it so much! And it's so supportive of people too (the romance options don't care if your character is male or female!), and asjhfkljfhdkjhfk I JUST LOVE THE GAME OKAY?!**

**So, small things will be revealed about my farmer as the fic progresses. There will be some things that are noticeable right away, of course, but others will need some time to be fully revealed. But anyways, I hope y'all enjoy!**

**Chapter Genre: Angst, Family**

**Chapter Rating: K+**

**Rating Content: Death of a Family member (y'all, this scene made me cry so dont even me!)**

* * *

He stayed patiently and listened to his grandfather speak, a pain in his heart. He was young, but he knew his grandfather wasn't going to be living for much longer. He was very old, and very weak. And the doctors, although they never talked to him, looked very sad, and made his mother cry, when talking to her. He wasn't dumb.

He was shaken from his thoughts when his name was mentioned.

"And, to my very special grandson, Oliver..." The elderly man addressed him. "I wish for you to have this sealed envelope."

His mother gently nudged him forward, and he approached his grandfather, gingerly taking the almost fragile looking piece of paper. His fingers brushed against the purple seal in curiosity.

"No, no, don't open it yet, child." His grandfather said, coughing slightly. "Have patience. For there will be a day, when you're crushed by the burden of modern day life, and your bright, cheerful spirit will fade before a growing emptiness. When that day comes," He grasped Oliver's hand, squeezing it. "Then... then you shall be ready for this gift."

Oliver nodded wordlessly, the envelope held tightly in his other hand. Although he was curious as to what the contents were, he wouldn't dare disappoint his grandfather. He would listen, one last time.

He felt a hand at his shoulder and he looked up to see his mother, eyes filling with tears. "Go now, Ollie. Let your grandpa rest."

Oliver obeyed his mom, leaving the room and thus, leaving his grandfather to rest, one last time.

He didn't understand it all at first, when he asked his mom. She didn't explain it very well either, thinking he was too young to understand. But he did, after asking his dad, who was in too much pain to really think about what he was telling the child. Death happens. It's one certainty in life. It hurt, but his grandfather wouldn't be in so much pain anymore. That's all he wished for.

That's all he wished for.


	2. A New Life

**A/N: Probably the shortest intro chapter of my life, but I didn't want to drag it on longer than it needed to go. And in reference to this chapter, please, if you ever feel the need to commit suicide, PLEASE get some help first! Just, tell a friend how you feel, you can even text crisis help lines, if you don't want to talk! Please, get help before you decide to do anything so brash!**

**Chapter Genre: Angst**

**Chapter Rating: T**

**Rating Content: TRIGGER WARNING: SUICIDE, Brief Language**

* * *

_15 Years Later_

The sound of air conditioning was extremely loud, almost overwhelming, but not nearly as bad as the sounds of seemingly endless phones ringing, computer keyboards clicking, coughing, sneezing, rolling chairs moving, or the feeling of dread as the eyes of the JoJa Executives watching all of them. Watching him.

He had been working at JoJa, _for_ JoJa, for eight years, not being able to find anything of interest when he graduated from high school. So, he decided to work.

It was nice enough, most of the time. He was full time, but it felt like more than that since he worked six days a week, five if he was lucky. No holidays, except Christmas, always had work to bring home, god knows what else. He was overworked, exhausted, but he felt it all was fine. It was just life. Family could be visited when they could be, he needed to work to live.

Despite his own mental reassurances, he felt his fingers slow at the keyboard, and he let out a deep, almost mournful sigh. He looked around at his coworkers, all of which were too occupied with their own work. Always busy. Always occupied. Always working... never time for themselves. Never time for _himself_.

He felt tears prick at his eyes, and he held them back as best as he could, burying himself in his work. He had only a half hour left in his shift. Then he could go home. To nothing...

/ / /

Oliver pushed open the door, nearly dropping the paperwork he had in his arm as he did so. Not that it mattered, since he dropped it on the floor anyways once the door was closed. It didn't matter. It wouldn't get done anyways.

He looked at his phone. No missed calls, no text messages, nothing. Nobody cared. Not that he helped with that. Always telling people he had work to do anyways. He was just... too busy.

It was only nine in the evening, but he didn't care. Taking off his work jacket and his shirt, to help cool off from the walk home (it was rather muggy outside, since spring was finally rolling around), he opened his fridge and cracked open the bottle of wine he bought a few days back, licking at his lips as he realized he hadn't had much to eat or drink on his shift today.

Grabbing a cup and some ice, he poured himself some wine, sitting down on the couch, shoving some papers off to the side as he did. It had been a miserable day to boot, he thought, taking a deep drink of the alcohol. First the computers had all shut down due to a power outage, which almost _never_ happened at JoJa, making them all fall behind in their work, and then he had software issues in his own computer, which even he wasn't able to fix up, and needed to call his boss to let him know what was going on. He had a pile of work to do because of how badly he fell behind, but he didn't care.

It didn't matter.

Because of his position at JoJa, he wasn't able to visit his family much, and he was certain they hated him more than they alrelady did because of it. No time for love, no time for a damn pet even, not even a fucking goldfish for god's sake! He had nothing, and nobody! Nothing but this small apartment which costed way too much. Nobody checked in on him even to just say hello, nobody at work ever cared for anyone but themselves.

Nobody cared about him.

He went to take a drink of his wine, only to realize there was only ice in the cup. He refilled the glass, and took another deep swig. Jesus, he thought, I'm such a lightweight. Already my head is spinning...

He just wished things could be different, wished he did things differently. His other siblings had been successful people, then he looked at himself. Barely making ends meet, and barely living. Just surviving.

Sitting up and wobbling slightly, Oliver went into his bathroom and grabbed some pills, feeling a headache coming on. Not a good idea to take them with his wine, but he didn't care. If he died... nobody would really know, so it didn't matter. To his family, he was nothing. To JoJa, he was just a number. To the rest of the world, he didn't even exist.

He went back to his couch and sat on it, practically collapsed on it. His glass was empty, and he filled it back up. The bottle was nearly empty. He didn't care. He had more.

Oliver did his best to open the pill bottle without dumping them, finding his motor skills being dumbed down due to the alcohol. He counted. Four. Or was it five? at 200mg it wasn't that bad. He popped them in his mouth and downed the wine in his glass, savouring the taste of it. Believing it would be his last taste of it.

Did he _want_ to die? Maybe. It wasn't like it wasn't on his mind before. His life was garbage, not much to live for anyways. So why live?

As he consumed more alcohol, the night got more and more hazy and less clear, and he was sure there was a pain in his stomach. Not that it mattered. Come morning, he wouldn't be feeling anything at all.

Nothing at all.

/ / /

Goddammit, why was everything so damn bright?! He groaned and winced as a bright beaming light shone in his eyes, the headache far worse than it had been last night.

Wait, headache?

He sat up as best as he could, rubbing at his eyes which felt moist, probably from tears. So... he wasn't dead then.

Upon slowly opening his eyes, Oliver had realized he passed out in the bathroom, and judging from the smell coming from the toilet, he had most likely vomited out whatever he had consumed last night. Jesus, what time even was it?

He went to stand up, nearly toppling over. He wasn't still drunk, it was merely the aftereffects of being drunk. Just part of the hangover.

He went out into his living room, closing the curtains slightly so he could at least bear to open his eyes a bit more. It was only five in the morning... And he saw the slight mess he had made. Papers strewn about from work, two wine bottles, completely empty, on the floor. And a bottle of headache medication, spilled on the coffee table.

It suddenly came back to him, what he tried doing the previous night, and he felt sick to his stomach once more. He had always had it on his mind, dying, but he never went through with it. He always thought himself to be just too cowardly...

Oliver sat down on his couch, sighing heavily. Well Ollie, he thought to himself, you really know how to make a mess of things...

He sat there for a few more minutes, before deciding to get to work. He still had to go the next day, mental health be damned. So he had to get the work he brought home done, today. He had a visit with his psychiatrist the next week, so he could talk to him then.

He started moving around the apartment, picking up the scattered papers, until he fell upon an envelope, with a purple seal on it. He stared at it curiously before remembering where it was from.

Dropping the papers, he picked up the yellowing envelope, walking back over to his couch. He sat himself down once more, toying with the purple seal. He remembered his grandfather giving it to him all those years ago, when he was just a small child. He barely remembered his words...

Taking off the seal, he opened the envelope and removed the parchment inside, tossing aside the envelope as he opened the folded paper. He slowly read the handwritten letter.

'_If you're reading this, you must be in dire need of a change._'

'_The same thing happened to me, long ago. I'd lost sight of what mattered most in life... real connections with other people and nature. So I dropped everything and moved to the place I truly belong._'

'_I've enclosed the deed to that place... my pride and joy: Old Maple Farm. It's located in Stardew Valley, on the southern coast. It's the perfect place to start your new life._'

'_This was my most precious gift of all, and now it's yours. I know you'll honour the family name, my boy. Good luck._'

'_Love, Grandpa._'

He flipped over the paper to see more written on the back, although it was brief, and also contained a phone number.

'_P.S. If Lewis is still alive say hi to the old guy for me, will ya?_'

Oliver leaned back heavily against his couch, letting out a deep sigh. He wiped at the tears in his eyes, not realizing until then that he had been crying. All these years, and this is what his grandfather had ready for him? A way out of this life he's been living, a farm, a home to call his very own?

It was brash, it was dumb, and probably the last thing he should be doing, but he immediately got up and started gathering his clothes, kicking aside any that were on the floor. Rooting through his closet, he found his suitcases, and he started packing like his life depended on it.

He started texting people. First, his landlord. Then, he texted his boss at JoJa. Of course, she was livid, not only because of the hour but also because he was leaving on such short notice, but he was more than grateful to leave that cursed job, and was more than ready to simply block her number to keep her from texting back anymore or, god forbid, from calling him. He then texted his parents, who were extremely confused about the news, and demanded to visit him first before he left, which he wasn't about to allow. He wanted to get out of the city, get away from this damned place.

Oliver was quick to pack his clothing, and he went into the bathroom to gather his essentials. Shavers, toothbrush and toothpaste, and he went to grab his medication, but paused to look in the mirror. His deep brown hair was unruly and wild, so he was quick to brush it. His eyes, nearly purple in colour, looked tired and almost sad. The dark circles under them only making him look worse. His skin had lost its' tan and was now almost pale, because of how often he was indoors.

He intended to change all that. He intended to change everything. He wanted to live a better life, wanted to make the rest of his life worth living for. And the farm inherited from his grandfather, that was surely the way out of this living hell.

When he was done packing all his essentials, he texted his parents what he left behind, and that they can sell the furniture and dishes. He then quickly booked a bus to Stardew Valley. He then texted the phone number his grandfather left him, and let the man know that he was coming that very day.

His life was going to change for the better. Sure, it was probably a bad idea to just drop everything and leave, but it was better than sitting around and moping.

/ / /

It was then six-thirty when the bus was leaving Zuzu City, which he nearly missed because his mother had decided to stop in before work, but the bus driver had been gracious enough to stop when he saw Oliver running for it with two suitcases and a backpack. The bus ride would be well over an hour long, which left him enough time to sleep before getting there, and check his finances (which, after saving for nearly ten years, he knew he'd have enough of to start his new life), and just relax and think about things.

The bus was almost empty, which he was grateful for. He didn't like being around too many strangers all at once. He took the seat in the very back, and he set down his baggage, letting out a quiet sigh. After a few short minutes, they were finally out of the city, and he felt a huge weight being lifted off his shoulders. That city had been like a prison to him for years, and he was glad to finally be leaving it behind.

He removed his phone from his backpack and put in his earbuds, listening to some music as they got more and more out into the country, watching the lakes and trees go by.

For the first time in a long time, he actually felt relaxed.

/ / /

He was jerked awake as the bus came to a sudden stop and he looked around in a blind panic, thinking he might've missed his stop. But upon looking at the sign at the front, he was grateful that they had only just reached Pelican Town.

Quickly gathering his things, he walked to the front of the bus, nodding his head in thanks to the bus driver, and stepped off, taking in a deep breath of fresh air.

"Hello! You must be Oliver!"

The young man was once again startled, looking to see a woman approaching him. She had a yellow sweater, a brown vest, and deep green pants and work boots. Her long, red hair was pulled back into a bun, a few strands hanging in front of her ears. She looked somewhat older than him, but then again, he never was good at guessing someone's age.

He waved sheepishly at her, and she smiled warmly. "My name is Robin, I'm the local carpenter! Mayor Lewis had sent me here to fetch you and show you where your home is! He's there, currently, tidying a few things for your arrival."

She turned and gestured for him to follow. "Your farm is just over this way!"

He followed her as quick as he could, now wishing he didn't pack so much of his stuff. He briefly looked around as they walked down the dirt path, already enjoying the trees and the wildlife.

The walk had been brief, and he heard her say as they came to a stop, "This is Old Maple Farm!"

Oliver's eyes widened as his eyes fell upon the farm, seeing how overgrown it had become. There was extremely long grass, obvious weeds, plenty of trees, and good lord, how many _rocks_ could one farm have?!

Robin saw his expression and laughed slightly. "What's wrong? Like, sure it's a bit overgrown, but underneath all that, there's some good soil, and all this farm needs is a bit of TLC!"

Robin gently ushered him forward, and presented the house. "And here, is your new home!"

Well, the outside didn't look too bad. And old log house, with some slightly outdated curtains (from what he could see), and a lean-to next to it. A very... rustic look, he thought.

He jumped slightly as a man came out of the house. He was an older gentleman, sporting greying hair and mustache. He had on a green dress shirt with a yellow tie, and brown overalls. Oh yeah, this was definitely a 'country' kind of town.

"Ah, the new farmer!"

The man approached Oliver, holding out his hand. He quickly set down his luggage and shook his hand, giving a small smile. "Welcome!" The man said. "I'm Lewis, the Mayor of Pelican Town. Everyone has been asking about you, as it's not every day that someone new moves here!"

The man was silent and Oliver, realizing they were expecting him to speak, made a small sound before removing his backpack from his shoulders, rooting through it before fishing out a small whiteboard and a marker. His writing was quick, but tidy, and he turned the whiteboard around so the Mayor could see it.

_"I'm Oliver, and I'm excited to meet everyone in the town!"_

The Mayor and Robin gave the man a quizzical look and Oliver wrote on the other side of the whiteboard, flipping it around when he was done.

_"I haven't been able to speak my whole life, so I use this to talk. Apologies for the confusion."_

They both nodded in undertanding. "No worries, Oliver!" Lewis assured the man. "Now, you must be exhausted from all that packing and then the road trip here. You should get some rest."

Lewis handed Oliver a set of three keys. Two for the house (one being a spare) and a third key he wasn't quite sure what it was for.

"And be sure to head into the town tomorrow; many people are excited to meet you, Oliver!"

The young man nodded and waved as the two people left, and he looked up at the old house, letting out a quiet sigh. Well, maybe it wasn't as small as he thought...

Taking his bags, he went up the wooden stairs and, briefly setting a luggage bag down, opened the door leading into the house.

Could definitely be worse, he thought. The house was just as small as it looked on the outside. There wasn't even a kitchen! Just all one massive room. He was single, so it didn't even really matter about the size of the house. Or the bed. He had smaller back at his apartment, so he was appreciative of the size of it.

The lack of kitchen could pose a problem, but something he'd tackle a bit down the road. For now, he just needed to get settled in, and resist the urge to tackle all those trees, weeds and rocks outside.

As he unpacked, he got a few texts from his mother and father, wondering if he made it alright and how things were already going. He was honest and told them that things were just surprising, but not terrible. He'd be fine.

He hoped he would be fine.


End file.
